Giorgia Fichera – Animation, Games and Interactivity

Don’t be afraid to try new things. Push your boundaries and experiment as much as you can. The MAGI studio environment with all its facilities is the perfect place to play around and see where your mind takes you.

For as long as I can remember I’ve always loved drawing, creating different characters and making new stories for them. I really like the creative freedom of animation and the potential if offers in several kinds of jobs, and growing up as a huge Walt Disney fan, I was inspired to undertake animation as a career.

I did a Bachelor of Graphic Design & Art Direction at the New Academy of Fine Arts in Milan, Italy, but after graduating I felt like I needed to deepen my knowledge of motion graphics and interactive media, and studying in Australia has always been on my bucket list, so I came to RMIT.

RMIT is located in the heart of the world’s most liveable city, and when you’re coming from a different country Melbourne is definitely an easy choice. It’s a melting pot of different ethnicities, so there are amazing restaurants everywhere, and the vibrant atmosphere immediately made me feel at home even though I was 15,000km away.

Since the very beginning, RMIT’s lecturers have encouraged students to direct their own learning. I came from a bachelors program where there is always someone telling you what to do and how to do it, but being a masters student is completely different. You can ask yourself “what do I really want to do?” and “which new areas do I want to explore?’, and the professors are there to help you pursue those goals. It feels great to be in charge of your own projects.

RMIT gave me the opportunity to expand my network and meet amazing creative people to collaborate with. Even though I’ve already graduated, I’m still involved with several collaborative projects with current students from MAGI and other media and communication degrees. The studio environment presents an amazing opportunity to push the boundaries with the latest technology and software on the market.

I’m now working as an intern at an international production company, and also working as a freelance animator/director working on music videos and a virtual reality project. It never gets boring. Every day I’m exploring and researching something new. I jump from sketching illustrations to taking photographs for stop-motion animation, to shooting a music video or playing with scripts for interactive art installations.